Complete genome sequence of hollyhock vein yellowing virus, a novel monopartite begomovirus infecting hollyhock in Pakistan

Hollyhock (Alcea rosea, family Malvaceae) is an ornamental plant grown widely in gardens across South Asia. In a bed of ornamental plants near the village of Chakri (Punjab Province, Pakistan) in 2014, hollyhock plants showing two distinct symptom types were identified: yellow vein mosaic and leaf crumple. PCR amplification with universal primers amplified a begomovirus from separate nucleic acid extracts of single plants of each type but amplified a betasatellite only from the plant with the yellow vein mosaic symptoms. No potential begomovirus DNA B component or alphasatellite could be identified in either sample. After cloning, the genome sequences of two viruses, one from a plant of each symptom type, were determined and shown to share 99.9% nucleotide sequence identity with each other but less than 91% nucleotide sequence identity with all previously characterized begomoviruses, with the highest identity (90%) to an isolate of pedilanthus leaf curl virus (PeLCV). This indicates that the two hollyhock plants were infected with a newly identified begomovirus for which the name hollyhock vein yellowing virus (HoVYV) is proposed. HoVYV likely has a recombinant origin. The betasatellite showed the highest nucleotide sequence identity to an isolate of cotton leaf curl Multan betasatellite (CLCuMuB), a betasatellite associated with cotton leaf curl disease across Pakistan and northwestern India. These findings add to the diversity of known begomoviruses in South Asia and again highlight the role of hollyhock as a reservoir of the cotton leaf curl begomovirus betasatellite complex. The results also suggest that the yellow vein mosaic symptoms in hollyhock are due to the betasatellite rather than the virus.

Automated summary

A newly identified begomovirus, hollyhock vein yellowing virus (HoVYV), was found in hollyhock plants in Punjab, Pakistan, showing low nucleotide sequence similarity to known begomoviruses. The betasatellite associated with the virus is related to cotton leaf curl disease, suggesting hollyhock's role as a reservoir of the cotton leaf curl begomovirus betasatellite complex.